Chaussx



June 26, 1951 s. CH-AUSSE MEDICAL RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 3, 1950 Filed June 3, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 S. CHAUSSE MEDICAL RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS June 26, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 3, 1950 A @Q m VIIIIIIIIIIIIIF F AH ENIIF lw| A m r; Z W 3 Mk n W nu *w June 26, 1951 s. CHAUSSE MEDICAL RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 3, 1950 IIJ ma a

Inveniw w Ira/'10 6%4145) June 26, 1951 s. CHAUSSE MEDICAL RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 3, 1950 Patented June 26, 195i UNITE- s'r MEDICAL RADIOGRIAPHIC APPARATUS Sylvain Chauss, Paris, France Application June 3, 1950, Serial No. 166,009 In France June 6, 1949 The advances made in methods of X-ray photography examination produce an increasing demand for radiographic apparatus in which" there is provision for an ever greater number of different movements. Y

I have previously described an apparatus more especially designed for use in connection with that method of X-ray examination sometimes known as Dr. Chausss method, and which applies a now broadly known procedure.

That apparatus, which was a considerable improvement over prior devices of similar type, essentially comprised a table rotatable about a horizontal axis and provided with an imagecarrier supported on longitudinally and transversely traversing carriage, an X-ray lamp mounted at the end of a balance-beam movable longitudinally by the oscillation of parallel arms rotatable about the same"axis as said table, and a connecting means from said lamp to said imagecarrier, operative, regardless of the angular orientation of the lamp, to direct the X-ray beam onto a given point of the image. Owing to the dual movement of the image-carrier along two rectangular directions of the table, the said connecting means were somewhat intricate and delicate to construct. Moreover, no means were provided for altering the particular point of coincidence provided by said connecting means.

It is an object of this invention to provide a medical radiographic apparatus which enables any examination to be effected and new photography or adjusting operations to be performed, extremely handy to operate and of cheaper and more rugged construction;

According to the invention, the apparatus comprises a box-shaped casing, rotatable about a horizontal axis, a transversely movable operating table supported on said casing, within said casing an image-supporting carriage movable along said axis, a connecting rod, a cardan-joint connecting said carriage with said rod, a'bar carrying at one end thereof the X-ray lamp pivoted thereon, said bar being slidable parallel to the axis of said table in a support rotatableabout said axis, said bar carrying a pin on which a slot of said connecting rod is slidable, said connecting-rod being further pivoted .at 'an inter mediate point thereof about a transverse axis rigid with said support, saidpivotallamp'being itself connected to acardan rigid with said carriage through a directing rod slidable parallel to said connecting rod and constituting therewith a parallel linkage system,said directing-rod curving downwardly and inwardly beneath'said table Claims. (Cl. 250-65) and terminating in a spotlight adapted to direct a centring ray towards the X-ray beam. 7

The cardan of the connecting rod is connected with the cardan of the directing rod by a connection ifixed in length an is connected to the carriage by a coupling which may be fixed or variable in length. The cardan joint of the connecting rod preferably comprises a core member journalled on the transverse pins of a clevis provided at the end of the connected rod, said core members being mounted for rotation on a bushing, said bushing being settably slidable on an axis coupling rod rigid with said carriage and secured in a lateral stirrup carrying a bar for connection with the cardan joint of the directing rod.

The connecting rod is slidable in a tube pivoted through transverse journals in a clevis provided at the end of an adjusting rod parallel to the axis of the table and carried on a radial carriage of the support of the lamp-carrying bar. Said adjusting rod is screwed into a bushing slidable in the carriage and longitudinally blockable to serve as a nut for imparting longitudinal displacement of the adjusting rod.

The X-ray lamp is mounted in a vertical stirrup slidable and movable by means of a screw in another vertical stirrup which can rock in a horizontal stirrup secured at the end of the lampcarrier bar and is rigid with a bushing in which the directing rod is slidable.

The above and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will all be clearly understood from the ensuing description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are side and end elevational views, respectively, of the apparatus as a whole;

Figures 3 and Q are a longitudinal section and an overhead plan, respectively, of the casing rotatable on a horizontal axis and carrying the operating table;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View on an enlarged scale of that part of Figure 1 which comprises the connection from the casing to the lamp-carrying bar, with a partial section on a longitudinal vertical plane;

Figure 6 is a corresponding view in section on line VI-VI of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a section on line VI.IVII of Fig ure 5;

Figure 8 is a horizontal section on the line VIIIVIII of Figure 5;

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a detail of the'pivotal connection between the connecting rod and expansible standard or support I the slidable post 2 of which terminates in a head 3 forming'a bearing for a horizontal shaft which onone side (left as in Figure 1) carries the operating table 4, and on the other side a structure serving 'to support the X-ray lamp 5 above the table l.

On the table side (see also Figures 3 to -5) the horizontal shaft 6 which, as visible in Figure 3, is tubular, is fitted into an elongated bushing I projecting from a box-"shaped casing 8 serving to supportfthe table. Onabearihgat-the oiiter end of said bushing there is "secur'ed a ratchet wheel 9 provided tvith deep-cut "teeth formed with bevelled sides, adapted to beengaged by "a pawl] I!) thus "serving 'to blo'clr 3 the *ca'sing, said pawlbeing pr'ovidedby a, long lever "pivoted ona lug H formed on the head 3 of the standard and provided-with a set-screw 'l2,-by'meansof which 'the' pawl can be'blocked'in position-in the bottom of a space between any two teeth of the ratchet Q. The casing 8, in the part thereof "away from 'the'standard'supports the'plate which forms the operating table 4, said table being *slidable on transversely-extending rails f3 secured 'to the side edges of the casing so as to'beslida'bleat right angles to the longitudinal axis. It is noted that throughout the ensuing 'disclosureytheexpression longitudinal axis will refer to the axis of the shaft "6 Which, asstated later, liesin the same plane as the X-rayphotograp'hor'image located under the table. On one side'of "this table there issecured anut l4 engaging a transverselyextending worm "[5 which is passed through "a cutout'for'r'n'ed on therear' sideof'the casinggan'd journalled on the opposite 'sidebfsai'd "casing and geared through meshing pinions [6 to a stubshaft carrying a handwheel'll. The surface of the" table is'forihed'withtwo windowsfohje, "P8, of which is closed bya translucent cover plate on "which squared cross-rules are drawn tose'rve 'as a reference panel, whilethe other "Window T9, 'equalin size to I8, is 'covered'by a supportin platemade of a material permeable'to X-rays, and beneathwhi'ch the X ray-photograph isrnovable; the photograph is housed in a flatboxf m having a handle 2| which projects beyondthe end of the table throughan opening formed in theend wall 'of' the casing.

The fiat box20 is engaged in a longitudinally extending slid'eway 22 "formed -'on "a "carriage which comprises a 'rmmeza slidalble b'et'w'ee'n suitable ribs formed on the sides ofthe easing (also see Figfll) 'abovea"w'indow"25-formed in the bottom wallof the casing. The 'box '20 is adapted to be blocked at any desiredpoint along said slideway by means 'of'a conventional pawland-ratchet device or the like. The carriage frame 23 has securedto 'it (seFig. 3)"aiz'c iupling rod 26 extending along the longitudinal axis and slidable in a'bearing boss formed on an intermediate transverse partition 21 whichdivides the casing lengthwise into two compartmentsfizs and 29 and is further slidable in a hole iorhiedin the end wall 30 or" the bushing! gthrcsugn which-the casing is'securd onthe's'hait 6. "Thebott'om wall of the casing in the compartment 29 thereof supports, in a position below the reference panel i8, a number of electric bulbs 3! providing as many light sources for illuminating said panel in such a way that the rod 26 will not cast any troublesome shadow thereon. The partition 21 prevents the light from penetrating into the com- .partment 28 that contains thephotograph. The

lamps '3 I are supplied with current through conductors 32 extending through the tubular shaft {3. On the rod 26 and spaced from the centre of the photograph by a distance equal to the spacing betWcen-both windows in the table, there is secured a collar 33 carrying a reference index, preferably "in the form of a sighting mark 34;

it Will -be seen that the longitudinal displacemerits of the index 34 will correspond to those of the photograph.

That part of the shaft 6 that lies on the other side from the top bearing 3 of the standard (see Figs. land 5) serves-ass pivot forfa bushing fi adapted to "be "blocked on said shaft by means of a 'st'sorewprovide'd with 'ahand wheel iifi. At the oppo'siteendsofthe bushing -35" there are secured apair of parallelarms landw andthe bushin'g' is retained "on the "shaft 6 -by meansof 'a lock nut assembly 39 "engaging the threaded 'nd tr "the 'shaft. The "arms "'31 "and '38 "provide supporting "elements for the lamp, "the supporting structure being balancedbyacounterweight 40 secured between "the lower extensionsof "the arms. "Attl ie'i'r ends opp'dsitefromthis"ba'lancing'w'eightthe "arms 3'1 "and 38 "terminatein "enurged haids fblrndwith alfgfledSquare bearing apertures "therein, in'whi'ch '"a hollow lamp=car rier "bar 4| of complementaryfsquare sectio'n i's slidable parallel "to "the longitudinal axis, preferably through theihdium of 'su itablerollenbear ings. The lamp darrier "bar'fll "isblackabl'e'in any selected longitudinalfpositi'dn'by'meansfof a set-screw provided with an operating "knob '42.

The bar II is set at an 'a 'g'le, i. e., 'withthe diagonalplanes'of'its quare crosssection lyingin horizontal and vertical directions, and'is' formed, at a point ofitsprojectinglengthfwith opposite vertical "flattened areas, as more cle'a'rly visible in Figures 9 and I0. flattened cit-depressed portion is formed withia'borethroiigh which extends a stub-shaft 4'4 ins'ertedthrougha spacer bushing 4-3; the endjournals of the stub shaft- 4 being eachljourna'lIed in apart comprising a fiange 45- applied flat against the' bar surface and a-rectangfilar boss 45 fo'rminga .s'lideb'lock. "The opposite slidbloks 46 are each engaged in a slideway formed in a relatedone 6f the arms of a yoke or clevismembenTl'having itstop orl'free end closed by an end spacerstrip M. "Said clevis is secured'to' the top'en'd of a connecting-rod 59 which connects the. lamp-carriefbar" tothe coupling rod is.

The connectin'g'fro d lii"is'slidable "atfan intermediate point 6f its length see Figs 1 'and""6) in a' tubebflL pivo d afthe end (if an 'arciiate yoke"br'cievistr which curvesdo-wrttcwamsthe casin g and is's cured amine end bf adjustihgifidifi 2'Si1p 6rtdb3" t'fie5djaf(3efit"3'i. The mat: (a1sqsee Figs. sfwanam threaded at its e'i'id"ahdfis' sciived iiitofa tusningta termi hating in "-a hand-wheel 54. This bushing mqnntearcsrsiiding movement-in 'atslideblock' fifi and can bepwcked against mnenudmztrmcw inent "reiativeiy f thereto, afpo'sitio'n in winch an end flange 'ss 'ofithebiishingfisHu butting GIIQSIQ'GYII fitag"aifit "it" eefid wail 7 low bar.

5?. provided with a knurled head, said screw engaging an annular groove formed. in the bushin the bushing in its thus blocked condition will serve as a rotary nut imparting longitudinal displacement of the adjusting rod 52.

The slideblock 5-5 is block square in cross-section, and is mounted within the arm 37 from which it projects through oppositely located apertures 58formed in'said arm. To enable assembly of the slideblock the hollow arm 31 is divided along a transverse plane and built up again to its originalcross-sectional form by means of a cover shell 59 secured by means of screws, not shown. 'Inside the hollow arm, the slideblock is formed with althr'eaded hole engaging a worm 50 journalled at each end in a related one of a pair of half-bosses 6| respectively integral with the arm .and the cover. At its lower end the wormcarries a helical pinion 62 meshing with a worm 53 provided with an externally projecting handwheel 54.

The bottom of the connecting rod 49 (see Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6) is connected through a cardan joint with the coupling rod 26, the connection including a clevis 65 pivoted on the opposite transverse journals of a core member 65 rotatable about the rod 26. The core is engaged between the arms 61 of a horizontal stirrup, the end wall 68 of which forms a slideblock slidable in the slideway or slot'formed in the rear of the casing 8. The core is mounted for rotation on a bushing 69 secured to the stirrup by a screw 10, and is split and internally threaded at its opposite end to be clamped about the rod 26 by means of a knurled rod 1|. Against the outer surface of the end wall of the stirrup member 51 there is secured the flattened end of a directing rod 12, curved so as to deviate away from the vertical plane of the rear edge of the operating table. This rod at its end (Figs. 2' and 11) is connected through a cardan joint with a directing rod 13 adapted to orient or direct the X- ray lamp in a direction parallel to the connecting rod. The cardan joint comprises a core member secured to the rod 13 and pivoted on longitudinal journals in a collar 14 pivoted in turn on transverse journals in a clevis i5 terminating the rod 12.

The rod 13 is in the form of an arcuate tube curving down and in under the table and carrying at its end (Fig. 3) a spotlight projector I6 serving to materialize as a spot of light the direction of the X-ray beam. The supply conductors 11 for this spotlight extend through the tubular rod 13 anad through the lamp-carrier bar. At its top the director rod 13 slides in a bushing 18 carried on the rear side of a vertical stirrup 19 (see Figs. 12 and 13) pivoted on journals 80 between the arms of a horizontal stirrup 8| blocked on the end of the square hol- Within the vertical stirrup 19 a further stirrup 82 is mounted, provided with lateral slideblocks 83 guided in longitudinal slots in the internal faces of the arms of the outer stirrup l9, and engaging a screw 84 rotatable in freely suspended condition from said stirrup I9 and provided with a hand-wheel 85. The inner stirrup 82 supports between its arms the X-ray lamp 5. This lamp is adapted to be displaced for its focussing adjustment by imparting a sliding movement to the inner stirrup. The lamps supply cable 86 extends through the hollow bar 4|.

Calibrated scales and indexes or the like, not illustrated, make it possible to identify and meassure the required displacements.

formed as a shoulderedw It will be seen that the operating table is adapt-r2 ed to receive any desired inclination about its longitudinal axis, by rotating the casing after having released its pawl-blocking means, that is to say, by rotating the horizontal shaft 6. The

table is retained in the desired position by the pawl I0 being blocked with the screw I2. The casing and the shaft are thus rendered stationary and the shaft will serve as a pivotal axis for .the balanced lamp-supporting structure, which it thus becomes possible to block in any desired angular position by means of the handwheel 36. The square bar 4| slides freely in a longitudinal direction between the roller bearings in the heads of the arms 31 and 38 and may be blocked with the handwheel 42. Movement of the bar is accompanied by rotation of the connecting .rod about the intermediate fixed fulcrum provided by the journals of clevis 5| of the adjusting rod 52. The verticalheightof this fulcrum above the longitudinal axis is adjustable by rotation of the hand-wheel 54 adapted to move the slideblock 55 within the hollow arm and it is further adjustable in longitudinal position by rotation of the hand-wheel 54, after the bushing has beenblocked against longitudinal movement by engagement of the set-screw 51 provided with an actuating wheel. During rotation of the lamp support about the longitudinal axis, the connecting rod 49 rotates with its cardan core 66 about the coupling rod 25 directed along this axis. When the connecting rod is pivoted about its intermediate fixed fulcrum, if the block nut H of the bushing of cardan core 66 is screwed tight, then this core is made rigid with the coupling rod 26 which consequently will be driven and will displace the carriage in a longitudinal direction, any differences in length resulting from the inclination of the connecting rod being 7 taken up by the sliding-movements of the rod itself within the bushing 50 and that of its terminal clevis 47 over the slideblocks 45. If the nut H is loosened, the cardan core will move without driving the carriage. However, its displacements are always accompanied by an equal displacement of the cardan of directing rod 13, said thus retaining a direction parallel to the connecting rod and sliding in the bushing 18.

Consequently, when the cardan core member is blocked on the rod, the X-ray beam or the beam from the locating spoltlight 16 at all times extends through a definite point of the photograph.

Its displacement within the frame of window I9 is equal in extent to the displacement of the sighting-mark beneath the reference panel. The sighting mark is located as close as possible to the panel in order to reduce parallax error. The vertical displacements are effected by moving the operating table transversely to the casing, through actuation of the handwheel ll.

It will thus be seen that the above described apparatus allows any desired radiographical operation to be accomplished. For this purpose, the patients head is held on the operating table after the desired inclination has been imparted to said table.

For radiography in two stages, a first photograph is printed, the print is placed on the reference panel and the requisite correction is effected by a transverse displacement of the table and a longitudinal displacement of the photograph, the displacements of the index being followed on the reference panel.

In stereoscopic radiography and for planigraphic examination (depending on whether it 7-. is. desired: to make two photographs or on the other-handtooperate one common photographic: print) ,.the pivotal fulcrum of-t the connectingtrod is: adjusted. vertically to the height; of: the. pointi to be examined, this being possible owing tothe; areuate formofjtheclevis 5|. Adisplacementzof; the-lamp in'the longitudinal direction. is accom-r panied automatically by asimultaneous. displace: mentzof the photograph, while the..X'=ray. beam remains. centered always on. the same; desired point;

Finally, to performza locating or. spotting? op: eration, either the cardancore member-maybe. blocked on the. coupling rod. and the bushing--53- of adjusting rod 52 left free toslide, or. alterna: tively the bushing may be blockedagainst'longi-J tudinal movement to obtain a fixed'intermediate fulcrum and thecardan core released from the carriage rod by-loosening the nut Tl;

Thus itcan beseen that the apparatus described offers great flexibility in operation. It'is to be understood however that the invention not restricted to the particular structural detailsillustrated and described, and that variations may be made in the illustrative embodiment shown without exceeding the scope of theinvention.

WhatI claim is:

l. A medical radiographio apparatuscomprising in combination, a standard-with a head forming a'horizontal bearing, a longitudinal shaftrotatably mounted in said bearing, means for block- 7 ing said shaft, on one side of said standard a boxshaped casing fixed to-said shaft, a table trans versely slidable on said casing and provided with two longitudinally; spaced windows, the one-provided-with a panel permeable to X-rays, the other with a translucent reference panel, means fortransversely adjusting said table on said casing, an image-supporting carriage in said-cas-ing --b lowsaid X-rays panel, adapted to receive a; photograph film or plate in a plane parallelto said table and on the axis of said shaft; a longitudinal coupling rod coaxial to the shaft fixed to said carriage-and longitudinally slidable there.- with, a sighting mark fixed on said couplingrod below said reference panel, on the other side of said standard a support rotatably-mounted'pn said shaft; a lamp-carrier bar longitudinally slid: able insaid supportparallel to-said shaft, a lamp. supporting structure transversely pivoted at that end of said bar above said table, a co eotingrod invariable-len th: attachedby. cardan-ioint of variable length; fixed in direction with said lamp.structure and oonnected by a cardan=joint with. said directing; rod, said director rod and" said connectin rod forming, a parallel linkage,- system..-between. the axes of: the shaft and oi. the. bar.

as medical. radiq raphic. app at cc rdin to claim: 1,.in.Which: anextensi n o a i e or rod is formedilby-an arcuate tube curving down.- andin; under; the. table andcarrying at its end a. spotlight projectorcoaxial and oppositeto the axis. ofatheX-rays lamp.

3.; A medical. radiographic aparatus according; l m c mprisin furth r a. longit ii al al just/i s. manner-mediate between said shaft. and bar, pivoted onatransyersal axis to aconneotionslidable on saidconnecting rod and longitudinally; displaceable, a. carriage radially displaceable in said'support, means. for. adjusting radially said: carriage, means for longitudinally bloc-king said adjusti rod and means for longitudinally adjusting thesame.

4'. A .medica-1 radiographic apparatus according,- to. claiinpl,,ingwhich the cardanrjoin-t between. saidcoupling-rod.andsaid connecting rod is, set-.- tably'slidable on said coupling rod;

5. A medicalradiographic, apparatus according; to claim l, inwhich the lamp supportingstruc. tureis mounted in a horizontal stirrup secured atthe end of'the lamp-bar and comprises on es;-

ci11atine-s irr p piv ted in. said, horiz ntal ir:

'rup, another stirrup rigid with the lamp. and! slidablymountedin said oscillating stirrup and; meansv for adjusting said slidable stirrup insaidoscillating stirrup.

SYLVAIN 'CHAUSSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the. file. of thispate UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,704,477 Jacobson o- Mar. 1929 2,000,497 Pohl May 7, 1935 2,110,954 Grossmann Mar. 15, 1938" 2;353,l45. Chamberlain, Jr. July 11, 1944 

